Team Nigeria aims for medals in athletics

At least four medals are on the line for Team Nigeria in athletics today at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. The country’s track and field athletes are still pushing for podium finishes, according to PUNCH Sports Extra.

After moving on from Monday’s heats, reigning national 100m champion Favour Ashe will join Fakorede Adekalu and Nigerian record holder Kayinsola Ajayi in the men’s 100m semi-finals.

In the women’s 100m, African U-20 champion Miracle Ezechukwu also made it to the semi-finals. She will be joined by Blessing Ogundiran and Rosemary Chukwuma, who both qualified automatically.

On the field, high jumper Temitope Adeshina is set to compete in the women’s high jump final against 11 other athletes. Sade Olatoye will also chase a medal in the women’s hammer throw final after qualifying on Monday.

Nigeria had a good start on the track, with many athletes showing strong performances to reach the next round. Ashe finished Heat One of the men’s 100m in 10.10 seconds (+1.5m/s), easily ahead of Kenya’s Meshack Babu, who ran 10.21 seconds. The national champion relaxed in the last few metres after taking a big lead.

Ezechukwu made her Commonwealth Games debut impressively. From lane eight, she won her women’s 100m heat in 11.32 seconds (-1.5m/s). She finished before Barbados’ Kishawna Niles (11.52 seconds) and Ghana’s Deborah Acheampong (11.66 seconds) to secure her spot in the semi-finals, where Ogundiran and Chukwuma will join her.

In the women’s hammer throw qualification, Olatoye finished 10th in Group A with a best throw of 62.75m. This performance was enough to qualify her for Tuesday’s final.